In A Broken Mirror
by Memorare
Summary: The classic book 'Through the Looking Glass' is remade into a more new age tale. This new story is centred around Alex, a young boy who finds the looking glass in an antique shop. He enters Wonderland and meets new and old characters from the stories.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One: The Broken Mirror_

Before I begin this story, I feel the need to talk a little bit about… antique stores. Laugh if you will, but I think you ought to know a little something about them. They are, more often then not, full of junk. Most are not really antiques at all, just items dusty enough to give a ghost an asthma attack. But sometimes, if only by accident, something really special comes into an antique shop. Something truly old, otherworldly… magical, even. I recieved one of these items at least once. It was a piece of bamboo in a pot shaped like a panda. The bamboo died but the pot remains. I believe that each and every day this pot steals a little bit of my soul, and some day it will take over my entire being and then take over the United Kingdom. You can always tell these 'mystical' items by the tingling sensation that runs through your spine as you pass them… This story begins with one-such feeling…

"You're not seriously buying that are you? It's ugly, dirty, and cracked of all things!" Delilah stood at the counter of the old, dusty antique shop. She thoroughly hated everything about it, especially its smell, which she could only compare to an old woman's moldy attic. Due to this she was in an amazingly bad mood, and was willing to snap at everyone and everything. Her best friend, Alex, just happened to be her newest target.

Alex let out a great sigh, running a hand through the loose curls of blonde hair that danced around his shoulders. He held out the mirror and frowned. "I like it. It's a real, old looking-glass." He held it at arms length and smiled at his own reflection. The mirror was average-looking really. The silver had long since acquired a dull blackness to it; the filigree embroidery around the mirror was worn to the point of non-existence, and a deep crack gouged the glass completely through diagonally. Still, for some reason, he liked it very much. Although it was not something he had previously liked nor collected he still felt it must be obtained at all costs. So he pointedly ignored his friend and plucked it on the counter, pulling out his wallet while a kind-looking elder lady carefully wrapped the object in sheets of paper.

And so the two wandered out of the shop and back to their neighborhood. The cool air and evening sun, which was presently bleeding behind the landscape, seemed to ease Delilah's mood greatly and she moved cheerfully about, playfully wrapping her fingers in Alex's hair and tugging when he seemed to be daydreaming. He dropped her off at her house with the promise to pick her up tomorrow morning to shop somewhere she'd like.

Hurrying to his own house, Alex weaved into the kitchen to give his mother a hasty greeting and a kiss. Then, with a strange feeling in his heart as if he were horribly late for some appointment, he clambered up the stairs and into his room. He threw himself onto his bed and began the slow unwrapping of the looking-glass, treating it was the most careful of attention despite the fact it could hardly get any worse.

He carefully propped up the mirror and for a shocking moment it seemed to absorb all light in the room and flash with the brightest intensity. Alex shook his head, assuring himself it was merely a strange reflection of the light. And quickly the uncomfortable binding feeling faded and he found himself rather bored looking at the mirror. So, he pulled himself away from the mirror and left the room, eager for a cup of tea. Perhaps chamomile, if it was available… With honey, and perhaps a shaving of cinnamon… And just that quickly the mirror was all but forgotten…

But soon, oh so very soon, the mirror would not only be remembered a supremely harsh way, but the mirror would soon swallow his whole world and throw him into one of his own. And I mean that very literally.

_End of Chapter One_

Thanks to everyone who wasted minutes of their life on my story. If you have comments or corrections, please give it a review? Don't make me do the puppy-eyes. I swear I will.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two: Somewhere New_

The tea was accomplished, and it now rested in a flowery porcelain cup (which I imagine must be very cozy for tea, though I'm not totally sure) is Alex's cupped hands. A chilling autumn wind breezed through his open windows, sending the curtains fluttering. Alex gave a great shudder at the freezing intrusion and he took a deep sip of the tea despite the fact it was still quite hot and annoyed his throat greatly. He wished greatly to close the window, but his mother was baking something laden with broccoli and the smell nauseated him.

He pulled his fleece closely to himself and frowned unhappily; taking yet another self-punishing gulp of the burning beverage. Tonight seemed strange, like something was shrouded and hiding just beneath the surface of what would, under any circumstance, be a relatively horrid night. It was freezing, he was alone, and there was nothing to do. Did I mention that there was still a tiny little wiff of broccoli in the air? Of course there was, to add misery to insult and injury.

Suddenly, it seemed as if the shroud was pulled away, for just a moment. It was the strangest sensation, like static but it sent flickers of pain to every nerve in Alex's body. White light flickered behind his eyes, and for a moment his world melted and pulled away into a pure blanket of light. Everything was gone save for him… him and the looking glass, which had been resting on the bed beside him. The mirror now seemed to float, suspended in the air and ever-so-slowly twisting and turning in place, rocking on its axis. A high-pitched squeal filled his head and tears welled in his eyes.

And then the world came flooding back, and the scene dulled to a memory in moments. Had it really happened? Perhaps the approaching night had made Alex tired and it was just a phantasmagoric vision… He hardly remembered it happening… Then, with a light shake of his head, the event disappeared all together. He brushed his fingers over his cheek, and was shocked to feel a streak of moistness tracing down his face. What was that all about?

He drank the tea in another burst of impolite gulping (because I simply can't send him into eminent danger knowing that the tea went to waste) then set it on the carpeted floor because he simply couldn't be bothered to get off his bed. Then, unconsciously really, he reached back and lightly brushed his hand over the surface of the looking glass, just lightly and just a little. He was shocked to feel that the surface was warm, hot even, despite the chilled room. He turned to look at his reflection- only to see it wasn't his reflection at all.

It was him in the mirror, in a sense. But it wasn't just a reflected face- it was like a painting. He saw himself standing in a thick forest, coverlet wrapped tight around himself and his eyes wide in horror. It unlike any forest Alex had ever seen- formless shapes rising up, forming what must have been trees, green leafs and brown trunks bleeding together like rough watercolors. Around his mirror image flickered shadows, images dancing like a 3-D picture. Alex pulled himself closer to the mirror, and the image reached out a hand, straight through the mirror, grabbed a lock of Alex's hair, and pulled him straight though glass mirror frame. Alex opened his mouth to scream, but it felt as if water, or some sort of gel, was cramming itself into his lungs, choking him. He wasn't injured, except for when his arm and face met the gouge in the mirror. That certainly felt like glass! The sharp edge sliced his cheek open and he felt warm blood drip down his arm. But before it really hit his mind how much that really hurt, he was completely through the looking glass and falling into the forest, the red-orange grass rushing up to meet him. Then, the ground really did meet him, and all went black…

…. Sometime later, whose knows exactly how long, Alex forced his eyes open, just barely. Everything seemed to ache and burn, and his head pulsed with pain- it felt like his skull had cracked open, but he wasn't bleeding. But he probably had a concussion; certainly he was delusional. That was all that could explain was he saw in front of him. From his limited view on the ground, he could only see part of the strange creature's body. In fact, he could really only see its feet… or paws. The creature had almost human feet, except its ankles were lifted up like he was walking on tip-toe (like those dinosaurs… you know what I'm talking about, right?) and covered in a light purple fur. Silver, sickle-shaped claws dug into the soil just slightly. And, or perhaps it was only in Alex's imagination, the creature seemed to be purring. Tilting his head up, Alex looked up into the biggest grin he'd ever seen.

_End of Chapter Two_

End of Chapter Two! Just as bad as the last chapter! -laughs- Who's the the purple cat-boy? Hmm... I gots no idea... This story is actually liked by a couple of people! o.o I'm shocked! Thank you... I love you all... -goes in for the kill... I mean, a friendly hug- Send me any suggestions or ideas, okay? Because I swear I'm making this up as I go.


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